Game



Aug. 8, 1944. E. STOREY 2,355,118

GAME

Filed March 25, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v z/wi d'z g E. STOREY Aug. 8,1944.

GAME

' Filed March 25, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 8, v E. O 1 I GAME FiledMarch 25, 1942 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 woza f Patented Aug. 8, 1944 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 2,355,118 GAME Everett Storey, Chicago, 111.Application March'25, 1942, Serial No. 436,112

6 Claims,

This invention relates to a game, and more particularly to a gamewherein the various ac tions of naval warfare are realisticallysimulated. I An object of the invention is to provide "a tank which maybe filled or partially filled with water and in which boats and shipsmay be moved about on the body of water, and guns supported at the edgeof the outside of the tank may be used to fire pellets at the boats.

Another object of the invention is to provide in the game a tankcontaining a body of water wherein the water flows in the tank in atleast a pair of channels. Still another object is to provide in thetank, a harbor at one end of each of the channels for receiving theboats and to provide agitating means for causing a flow of water throughthe channels.

Other features and advantages will appear from the followingspecification and drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view ofthe game structure; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken alongthe line 2--2 of Fig. 1 showing the tank construction; Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is alongitudinal sectional view of a boat showing the same when maintainedin positio in the anchorage in the tank.

The invention contemplates a game which realistically simulates navalwarfare, including Both the guns and the planes are equipped withpellets which may be propelled or released to'fall into the body ofwater and splash water intothe boats to sink the same. The boats may beanchored at one end of the channel in the tank and when released willpass along the channel to the other end thereof and will be receivedwithin a harbor.

In the embodiment of the invention described herein, a tank l may besupported upon a suitable platform ll carried by a frame l2. The framel2 may include uprights l3, horizontal members I4, and cross members l5,all secured together to provide a sturdy support for the platform II.The platform ll may be of wood or other suitable material, and issupported on the upper surface of the frame l2, preferably extending asubstantial distance beyond the side walls of the tank l0.

Along the sides of the tank I0, guns 16 may be mounted on the platformH, the guns being 55 adapted to propel pellets toward the tank and intothe body of water which is carried by the tank. The tank l0 may beequipped with a pair of channels I l and I8 extending longitudinallythereof, and with harbors l9 and at one end of each of the channels. 'Atthe other end of each of the channels are boat anchorages 2| and 22.Preferably, the tank may be provided with suitable filling materialalong the sides and ends thereof to form a shore line 23. On the shorethus formed may be provided any suitable type of scenery, such as abeach or mountains or the like, such scenery preferably being formedfrom plaster of Paris, or other'such material, and being suitablycolored. Agitators 24 and 25 at opposite ends of the tank cause thewater in the tank to flow through the channels I! and I8 along the linesindicated by the arrows in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Inclined wires 26, or other suitable elongated members, may be disposedabove the tank and arranged to support miniature airplanes 21 thereon.The wires 26 are preferably provided with enlarged portions 28 whichserve to release from the planes small pellets carried thereby whichserve as bombs, and when released fall into the body of water in thetank. Both the bombs carried by the planes and the pellets propelled bythe guns I6 are adapted to be aimed at ships 29 which are carried by thebody of water in the tank and pass from the anchorages 2| and 22 to theharbors l9 and 20.

The tank It! may be of any'suitable construction. As seen in Figs. 1, 2and 3, the tank may include a bottom wall 30, side Walls 3| and 32, andend walls 33 and 34. If desired; the tank may be rectangular in shape,as shown. Preferably, the tank is of a relatively slight depth comparedto its other dimensions and is adapted to receive a relatively shallowbody of water 35 therein. Any suitable material may be used inconstructing the tank. If desired, the tank may be made or" wood, andthe joints sealed with a waterproof material, such as pitch or tar.Plaster of Paris ing the scenery, seen particularly in Figs. 2 and 3 at36.

Within the tank, suitable partitions may be arranged to provide for thechannels, the harbors, and the anchorages. As seen particularly in Fig.2, transverse partitions 31 and 38 at the opposite ends of the tankprovide a section within which may be mounted the agitating mechanism.Partitions 39 and 40 spaced from the partitions 31 and 38 respectivelyprovide small narrow chanor other similar material may be used in form--nels 4| and 42 at the ends of the tank. Small paddle wheels 24 and 25are mounted on shafts 45 and 46 and extend into the small bodies ofwater 4| and 42 respectively. Motors 41 and 48 are connected in driverelation with the shafts 45 and 45 respectively, and are arranged toproduce rotation of the paddle wheels. The motors are preferably mountedin the space between the partitions 31 and 39 and the partitions 58 and45 and are preferably concealed by acovering 49 which extends acrossthese sections of the tank.

As seen particularly in Figs. 1 and 3, the tank may also be providedwith longitudinal partitions 50 and which divide the tank into a pair ofchannels indicated at H and i8. Preferably, the

partitions 50 and 5| are of a height less than the depth of the body 35of water within the tank and thus permit communication between the twochannels since the water is permitted to flow across the top of thepartitions. Moreover, this arrangement permits the partitions to be atleast partially concealed by the body of water. The partitions 5E! and5| are preferably made of a transparent material, such as celluloseacetate,- and are thus substantially invisible in the body of water.These partitions may be mcunted in the tank in any suitable manner.

The partition 5| extends into and connects with a partition 52 at oneend of the channel H, the partition 52 being arranged to form anenlarged harbor provided with a narrow neck 53. At the other end of thechannel ill, a partition 5 1 pro-' vides a narrow channel which leads tothe anchor" age 22 and the agitator 25. I

Similarly, the channel I 8 is provided. with a harbor formed by thepartition 55 and with a partition 56 which provides a channel leading tothe anchorage 2| and agitator 24. The harbors l9 and 20 are equippedwith suitable gates 57 and 58 at the end of the harbor for permitt'ngthe flow of water from the harbor to the agitators. These gates, whilepermitting the flow of water, prevent the passage of the boats, beyondthe gates.

The anchorage 2| may consist of a flat member or plate 59, having aplurality of apertures 60 therein, the apertures being adapted toreleasably receive pins which may be used to secure the boats inposition beneath the anchorage. The anchorage 22 issimilarlyconstructed. A switch 6|, mounted on the platform ii, controls theoperation of the motors which drive the agitators 24 and 25.

The guns I6, mounted along the sides of the tank, may be of any suitabletype or construction for propelling pellets or bullets toward the shipson the body of water in the tank. g

The pellets should be of a material heavier than-water so that they willsink in the water. Preferably, these pellets are made of a resinousplastic material. 7

The boats are preferably constructed of a material which is heavier thanwater so thatwhen the interior of the boat is filled with water, theboat will sink; On the other hand, the construction of the boat in theform of a hollow shell makes its density less than that of water whenthe interior of the boat is not filled with water, and the boat willthus float on the surface of the water. The material used inconstructing the boats is preferably a resinous plastic, and additionalmaterial may be added to the interior of balance the same in the water.For example,

small particles of wax may be placed in the interior of the boat forthis balancing action.

In operation, the boats 29 are placed in the anchorages 2| and 22 andthe agitators 24 and 25 set in operation. The movement of the paddlewheels or agitators 24 and 25 causes the water to flow through thechannels I1 and H! from the anchorages 2| and 22 toward the harbors 20and 9 respectively. The boats are secured in the anchorages byengagement of the pin 8| with the aperture 8!] in the upper surface ofthe boat. The head 82 of each of the pins may be lifted to release theboat and permit it to be carried by the flowing stream of water throughthe adjacent channel and on to the harbor at the opposite end of thechannel. While the boats are passing through the channels, the guns l6may be fired at the boats, the guns on the side I82 of the platform I:being aimed at the boats in the channel I! and the guns on the side I03of the platform being aimed'at the boats in the channel l8. By rotatingthe crank arm 15 of the gun, the pellet '|2 is propelled from the barrelH and falls in the water in the tank I ll- If the gun is properly aimed,the pellet will fall sufficiently close to a boat 29 that the splashcaused by the falling of the pellet will throw water into the boat 29through the apertures in the upper surface thereof. When a smallquantity of water has been splashed into the interior of the boat 29,the boat will sink.

As soon as the boats are received within the harbors l9 and 251, theymay be picked up and placed within the anchorage 2| or the anchorage 22and are ready for another trip along the channel. The water which flowsfrom the anchorage 22 through the channel I! to the harbor l9 passesthrough the gate 5'! and to the agitator 24 from whence it is caused toflow into the channel I8 and to the harbor 2E]. The flow of the watercarries the boats from one end of the channel to the other. Thepartitions 5 and 5| in the central portion of the tank prevent boatsfrom passing from one channel to the other, but at the same time permitsufficient flow of water between the channels to prevent any head ofwater from accumulating in either of the channels with respect to theother.

Although the invention has been described in connection with particularembodiments, it will be apparent that changes and modifications may bereadily made without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

I claim:-

1. A game comprising a tank containing a body of water, partition meansin said tank for providing a pair of channels in said body of water,said channels being in communication'with each other, .partition meanscarried by said tank for providing at one end of each channel a harborwith an open neck, said partition being provided with an openingcommunicating with the adja cent channel and permitting the passage ofwater thereinto from the harbor while the partition prevents the passageof boats in said harbor into said adjacent channel, and agitator meansfor causing water in each of said channels to flow toward the harbor atthe'end thereof.

2. A game comprising a tank containing a relatively shallow body ofwater, longitudinal partitions in said tank dividing the same into atleast a pair of channels, the height of said partitions being less thanthe depth of the water in the tank whereby the portions of the body ofwater in each of said channels are in communication with each other, apartition carried by the tank at one end of each channel forming in thetank an enlarged harbor bounded by said partition, said harbor having anopening in communication with the adjacent channel permitting thepassage of water thereinto while the partition prevents boats floatingon the water in the harbor from passing into the adjacent channel, andan agitator at the other end of each channel for causing the water insaid channel to flow toward the harbor.

3. A game comprising a tank containing a body of water, partition meansin said tank for providing a pair of channels in said body of water,said channels being in communication with each other, partition meanscarried by said tank for providing at one end of each channel a harborwith an open neck, said partition being provided with an openingcommunicating with the adjacent channel and permitting the passage ofwater thereinto from the harbor while the partition prevents the passageof boats on the water in said harbor into said channel, a boatreleasably anchored at the other end of each of said channels, andagitator means-for causing water in each of said channels to flow towardthe harbor at the end thereof whereby the flow of Water carries theboats from the anchorage along the channel and to the harbor.

4. A game comprising a tank containing a relatively shallow body ofwater, longitudinal partitions in said tank dividing the same into atleast a pair of channels, the height of said partitions being less thanthe depth of the water in the tank whereby the portions of the body ofwater in each of said channels are in communication With each other, apartition carried by the tank at one end of each channel forming in thetank an enlarged harbor bounded by said partition, said partition beingprovided with an opening communicating with the adjacent channel andpermitting the passage of water thereinto from the harbor while thepartition prevents the passage of boats floating on the water in saidharbor into said adjacent channel, a plurality of boats carried by thebody of water, each of said boats Ibeing equipped with an aperture inthe upper portion thereof, an anchorage frame at the other end of eachof said channels, and pins movably mounted in said anchorage frame forreleasably engaging the aperture in each of the boats to secure theboats to the anchorage frame.

5. A game comprising a tank containing a relatively shallow body ofwater, longitudinal partitions in said tank dividing the same into atleast a pair of channels, the height of said partitions being less thanthe depth of water in the tank whereby the portions of the body of waterin each of said channels are in communication with each other, apartition carried by the tank at one end of each channel forming incommunication with the channel and in the tank an enlarged harborbounded by said partition, said partition being provided with an openingcommunicating with the adjacent channel and permitting the passage ofwater thereinto from the harbor while the partition prevents the passageof boats floating on the water in said harbor into said adjacentchannel, a plurality of boats floating on the body of Water, the draftof each of the boats in the Water being greater than the distancebetween the top of said longitudinal partitions and the upper surface ofthe body of water whereby the boats when placed in a channel areretained in the channel, an anchorage frame at the other end of each ofsaid channels, and means carried by said frame for releasably engagingeach of the boats to releasably secure the boats to the anchorage frame.

6. A game comp-rising a tank containing a body of water, partitionedmeans in said tank for providing a pair of channels in said body ofwater, said partition means being disposed beneath the surface of saidbody of water, said channels being in communication with each other atthe ends thereof to provide an endless path for the circulation of watertherein, and agitator means for causing water in said channels to movein opposite directions and to flow from the outlet end of each channelinto the inlet end of the other channel.

EVERETT STOREY.

